Dumbledore's Version: Philosopher's Stone
by leviosaspell193
Summary: Dumbledore's version of events the night Harry saved the Philosopher's Stone. / Haven't written for a long time! Please review so I can get better! Thank you!


Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, remembering the night's events. It was a cool evening in June, he had returned from the Ministry hours before. He knew something was wrong. He ran at a speed he didn't know he could reach, running through the corridors until he bumped in to a first year, one he never had expected to be out at this time.

'He's gone through the trap door hasn't he?' he said, never slowing his pace. He saw the girl nod that he was correct. 'Where is Mr Weasley?' he asked as she turned and ran back with him.

'He's in the hospital wing Professor, the chess board... he fell... I didn't know what to do!' Hermione said, struggling to get the words out as she tried to keep pace with the man who's legs were much longer than hers.

'Go there yourself, you are hurt.' Dumbledore indicated to her left arm, slightly bruised from the flying debris of the chess board as the pieces exploded. 'I will tend to Harry. Tell Madam Pomfrey you must stay there until I arrive.' And with that the young girl nodded again and turned, slowing to a walk she followed his instructions and left to go to the hospital wing.

As Albus reached the third floor corridor he was troubled by the many possible ways he might find the young Harry Potter. As he went through the final door he found Fluffy, the three headed dog he had borrowed from Hagrid asleep on the trap door. He knew that moving the dog's paw to open said door would indeed wake up all three of the dog's heads. He charmed the harp that was left in the corner to begin playing and moved the paw, the dog did indeed wake up but soon, after hearing the harp's gentle music, fell back to sleep. Albus jumped through the floor and on to the Devil's Snare.

He continued through the various rooms and guards until finally he came to the final door. The one with the mirror. As he stepped through he saw Harry, lying motionless on the steps. A few feet away from him a pile of dust, an unravelled turban and a cloak. He stepped towards Harry, checking to see that he was breathing, which he was, he then moved to check his pulse. Although slow, it was very much there. He lifted the boy in to his arms, for a second he thought he may have seen the boy's eyes open, but settled to think it was his imagination.

'Oh, Harry, I am so sorry, my dear boy.' As he took a step he heard a clunk, looking down he discovered what it was. The Philosopher's Stone. Harry had saved the stone from Voldemort, denying him the life he was so desperate to have back and delaying his return further still.

Whistling for Fawkes, Dumbledore picked up the stone and stowed it carefully in his pocket. As he turned back towards the door, his faithful phoenix had arrived. Clutching on to his claw, Fawkes lifted Dumbledore and Harry back out through the many rooms and finally through the trapdoor. Placing them carefully onto the floor, Dumbledore, stable on his feet ran back through the corridors towards the hospital wing with Harry in his arms.

Harry is now safe, he thought whilst placing him on the bed. Madam Pomfrey bustled over to them and began working on the young boy.

'Three first years in one night, Professor. Really? Did you not think that having an object such as the one in your pocket might in fact start such behaviour?'

'Madam Pomfrey, these three children have just saved the object in question from the hands of Lord Voldemort, I think now is not the time to be chastising them on their behaviour, which I think, should be commended.'

'You mean to say, You-Know-Who was in the school tonight?' Pomfrey asked, suddenly stopping her work on Harry, she looked up to Dumbledore with wide, frightened eyes.

'I believe, Poppy, that Lord Voldemort may have been in the school for a while, since Professor Quirrell returned from his trip, with a newly acquired turban. But for the exact details, I must wait until Mr Potter here, awakes from his slumber.' He said, indicating the boy who Madam Pomfrey had momentarily forgotten about. 'But for now, I wish to speak to Miss Granger, and if he is awake, Mr Weasley also.' Madam Pomfrey nodded to the bed in the far corner with curtains drawn around it.

'Miss Granger is awake, waiting for you Professor, she is ready to leave once you have spoken to her.'

'Thank you Poppy, your assistance, as always is much appreciated.' Madam Pomfrey nodded again and returned to her work on Harry as Dumbledore turned and walked over to Hermione's bed.

'Miss Granger, if you would be so kind as to accompany me to my office, I would very much like to hear the tale of what occurred this evening, and whilst the hospital wing is a very comfortable area I would, myself, be much comfier in my office.' Hermione hopped out of bed, with her bruises now healed and scratches vanished.

As they exited the hospital wing, Dumbledore turned to Hermione 'I would appreciate that all that is discussed this evening, in my office, shall stay between us, although I think it would be acceptable to implore your new knowledge to Mr Potter and Mr Weasley. Is there anything you need before we go to my office?'

'Well, Sir, actually, I had to break the rules a bit tonight, I placed a body-bind curse on Neville in the common room so he wouldn't follow us tonight and I feel awful about leaving him there, I wonder if I could just go and remove the curse so he can go to bed?' Hermione said sheepishly, looking at the floor, embarrassed by her actions and even more embarrassed that she had to tell her headmaster.

'No matter, no matter, Professor McGonagall has already seen to Mr Longbottom, there will be no repercussions for your actions towards him this evening.' Hermione merely nodded her thanks.

As they reached the gargoyle entrance to Dumbledore's office, he muttered a password, the gargoyle stepped aside, allowing Dumbledore and Hermione up the stairs.

'Please, make yourself comfortable Miss Granger, would you like a lemon drop?' Hermione shook her head as she sat down opposite Dumbledore's chair. 'Could you please tell me what happened tonight? I need as much information as possible to determine how great a threat Voldemort currently is to us.'

'Well, we thought that Snape was going to steal the Stone, we only found out about the Stone from Hagrid, but please don't be angry at him, he didn't mean to tell us, well he didn't tell us, he just mentioned Nicholas Flamel and well, we researched the rest.'

'Hagrid will be receiving no punishment for what he may or may not have let slip to the three of you, in hindsight I fear what would have happened if he hadn't told you, for all we know, Voldemort could have returned tonight.' Hermione let out a little shiver at hearing the Dark Lord's name but continued with her story.

'Well, we went to see Professor McGonagall because we wanted to see you to tell you that Snape was going to steal the Stone but Professor McGonagall said that you had gone to the Ministry so we knew that it would be tonight and we decided to try going after it. We got through the different defensive charms and potions, well Ron didn't get any further than the Chess Board and I got Harry through the potions but there wasn't enough for me, he told me to take Ron to the hospital wing and send an owl to you, but I saw you in the corridor before I could send an owl.' Hermione rushed through the story, trailing off towards the end, not knowing what useful information Dumbledore could possibly get from her version of events.

'Thank you Miss Granger, now I do rather think that it is late, and perhaps you should be getting off to bed.' Dumbledore said while scribbling something down on a piece of parchment, 'Here, this will stop you from receiving any punishment for being out of bed at this hour if you are stopped.' Dumbledore stood up, walked towards the door opening it for Hermione to leave.

'Sir?' Hermione asked, 'Harry will... he will, I mean he's not going to..' Hermione stumbled over her words, unable to get anything of any sense out.

Mr Potter will be ju fine, he has been through a lot this evening and I think it is Madam Pomfrey's intention to let him sleep for a couple days so as to let his body recover. You will be allowed to visit him at normal visiting times.' Again, Hermione nodded her thanks, clutching on to the piece of parchment she left the office. Dumbledore returned to his desk where he sat for a long time thinking about what had happened.

Finally, he took out his wand, summoned a Patronus and sent it hurtling towards a certain Potions Master. Mere seconds later the fire in the corner of the office turned a bright shade of green and out stepped Professor Snape.

'Severus, my dear boy, please, have a seat'

'What could you possibly need at this time of the evening, I was just preparing myself for bed and now I am summoned up to your office!' Snape refused to sit down, hoping that by doing such, he would not have to stay much longer.

'Severus, your concerns were correct. There was an attempt to steal the Stone tonight.' Snape did not look at all surprised, but finally took a seat that Dumbledore has gestured to moments before.

'Who stopped the thief?' he asked.

'Harry Potter, ultimately, though he had assistance from his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. I trust you do not need to ask who the thief was?' Of course, Snape knew for months who was planning to steal the Stone.

'Quirrell no doubt, though I am confused as to why, he has plenty of gold, he is not old.'

'I think we have overlooked a possibility, a possibility which I know to be correct.' Snape turned and looks at the old man, with a questioning look on his face. 'Quirinus Quirrell was not stealing the Stone for himself. I think it is also possible that it was him who was slaughtering the unicorns, but again, not for himself.'

'For the Dark Lord?' Snape asked, quietly. Although they knew that the day would come when Voldemort had gathered enough strength to return to the castle, they were taken by surprise as to how early it had happened.

'He fled the scene tonight, a wisp of a spirit, leaving his host as a mere pile of ashes. Harry saved the Stone, but it was Lily's protection which gave Harry the ability to do so. I think it is time to take this threat more seriously, Severus. I think it is time to start befriending your fellow Death Eaters once again, they may hear something before we do.'

'The Dark Mark is the same as the night he fell. There is no need to become concerned, until there is a change in the Mark I will not concern myself with Him.' Snape absent mindedly clutched on to his arm, in the exact place the Dark Mark had once been. He stood up, walking over to the fire once again, he grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and disappeared out of the Headmaster's office in a flash of green light.

And so Dumbledore sat, once again, alone at his desk. For 10 years there had been no threat of Voldemort's return and by pure coincidence, the same precise year Harry Potter had re-entered the Wizarding World Voldemort had made his first reappearance.

Albus Dumbledore's brilliant mind was once again working in over time, asking one hundred questions, thinking one hundred things and imagining one thousand scenarios, all at the same time.

How long would it be before his return is definite? How long until the Potion Master's Dark Mark burns once again? And what do I do about Harry Potter? Surely, he will ask why Voldemort chose him? And yet, he is eleven, much too young to be hearing about prophecies and learning that he will soon have to engage in a duel with the deadliest Wizard of all time, ultimately killing him, or being killed. No, I will not tell him now, he is much too young, he is still a child. And he must be a child for a little longer, who knows when Voldemort will make his return and change Harry's life once again. No I will not tell him now.


End file.
